sceofield



(No Model.) 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1. J. SGHOPIELD.

VENDING AND FORTUNE TELLING MACHINE. No. 503,686. Patented Au 22, 1893.

' 4 D 'F" J.

(No Modl.) 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. 'SOHOFI'ELD. VENDING AND FORTUNE TELLING MACHINE.

No. 503,686. vPatentedAug.22, 1893.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCHOFIELD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN F. NOBLE, OF SAME PLACE.

VENDING AND FORTUNE-TELLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,686, dated August 22, 1893.

Application filed December 1,1892. Serial No. 453,735. (No model.

ToaZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SOHOFIELD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending and Fortune-Telling Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

It is the object of my invention to provide a vending machine of simple, attractive and inexpensive form, and to combine with such machine a fortune telling device arranged to be operated by the movement of the coin.

slide, so that not only will an article be delivered by the introduction of the coin and the operation of the slide, but the index finger will also be set in motion to tell .the fortune by pointing to one of a series of properly marked blocks. be arranged to eject any desired articles such as cigars, cigarettes, candies and the like or checks may be used which may be exchanged for the articles desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view with the lid thrown back. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the casing with parts in side elevation.

In the drawings, the casing is shown as comprising a base or body part 1 of substantially cylindrical form and a lid or cover 2, hinged at 3, thereto and adapted to be thrown back to allow access to the interior; the lid being held locked by any suitable device at 4, when the device is set up for operation. The body part consists of a base 5, an upper rim 6, and an intermediate drum portion 7. A bracket 8, projects inwardly from the inner side of the drum portion 7, and has lips 9, between which the slide 10, is adapted to move, said slide being guided also through an opening in the drum and through an opening in the base plate of the bracket. The slide carries a depending arm 11, formed on a casting 12, secured to the inner end of the slide; the outer end as shown projecting outside the casing and having an operating knobor handle 13. The lower end of the depending arm carries a pivoted book 14, adapted when the slide is pushed all the way in to engage the rear end of the delivery slide 15,

The vending device may.

and cause the'said'slide to be thrust forward when the operating slide 10 is released and is forced outward under the action of the spring 16 secured to the casting 12 of the slide and to a fixed point or as shown the casing. this forward movement the end of the delivery slide strikes the lower disk or article of reservoir to fall into the path of the front end of the slide. The delivery slide is guided in ways 22, on the bottom of the casing. At the rear end of the delivery slide, which is slightly turned up to be engaged by the catch of the depending arm, there is a spring deflector 23, arranged in the path of catch 14 so that as the operating slide is pushed in the endof the pivoted catch will move under the deflector and be pressed downward by the spring action of the sheet metal composing it so that the engagement of the pivoted catch with the delivery slide will be insured.

The cover is of considerable depth and is concave on its upper side to provide a dial space with sloping sides 25, and a bottom 26, and on these sides and bottom various blocks are marked off bearing various inscriptions or predictions as to fortunes. The cavity is inclosed by a glass cover 27, and the whole arrangement presents a neat and attractive appearance. The index finger 28, is carried on a shaft 29, extending through the cover to the interior of the case, the lower end being journaled in a bracket 30, depending from the under side of the cover. Apin wheel 31, is

fixed on the shaft and the depending pins 32, thereof are adapted to be struck by a spring trigger 33, consisting preferably of a wire spring secured to the under side of the cover with its free end extending to one side of the pin wheel and normally below the plane thereof. The free end works in an open guide Ioc . r in diameter and depth to receive accurately frame 34, having an incline 35, at one end,in the path of the free end of the trigger as it is forced to the rear. The guide frame has within it also a guide rib 36, extending parallel with the line of movement of the trigger and this divides the guide frame into anupper is limited in one direction by the projection 39, so that as the slide 10, is forced rearwardly the dog will strike the trigger and press it back. The free end of the trigger being in the lower guide way and below the plane of the pins of the pin wheel'no movement of the said wheel will take place until the trigger strikes the incline 35, when it will rise from engagement with the dog and spring'violently forward along the upper guide way and'above the guide rib and in this movement it engages one of the pins of the pin wheel and thus sets the same together with the shaft and index' finger of the fortune dial into rapid revolution. The engagement continues until thefree end of the trigger reaches the forward end of the guide rib Where it falls through the opening 40, into the lower guide way by reason of the resilience of the wire or other material composing the trigger. The pin wheel is thus left in free motion and is liable to stopat any of the various blocks bearing the different fortunes. ward movement of the slide 10, the dog strikes thetrigger but turns on its pivot and passes by the said trigger without effect and then assumes its normal position ready for the next action by reason ofhaving its lower end weighted or'heavierthan the upper end.

It will be observed that all the operations are eifected primarily th'roughthe movement of the slide in and out of the casing and I wish it understood that I do not wish tolimit myself to the form'of slide although I prefer to employ the form shown in United States Letters Patent granted me May 31, 1892,'Noi 375,899, in which a flap 41, is pivoted to the under side of the slide and is provided with an opening 42, a little smaller than the open-f ing 43, in the slide which latter is adapted the necessary coin as a nickel, the object be ing to provide a perfectly flush and practically unbroken surface when the coin is place so that the spring safety catch 42", will not act to obstruct the free inwardmovement of the slide to its full limit, but when the proper coin is not in the slide then-the spring catch will fall and engage with the edge of the opening 43, and thus prevent the further inward movement of the slid e. The'parts are 80 adjusted that it takes afull inward move In the return or out-' ment of the operating slide to cause the catch on the depending arm to engage the delivery slide and also to cause the spring trigger to be pressed back far enough to be raised by the incline 35, and thus lifted from the dog to operate the pin wheel and t Wlll be clear that if the proper coin is not in the slide then the operation of the parts w1ll be prevented by the spring catch obstructing the full movement of the slide. It requires a full movement of the slide also as stated in my aforesaid patent to permit the pivoted fiapto 'drop and deposit the coin within the case. In some instances it will not be necessary to use the form of slide and safety catch described as a plain slide may be. used and the coin introduced separatelyif desired and made to release slide controlling mechanism, but I prefer to employ the'c'ombrnation shown and described as being the simplest and the most effective and advantageous'. v

The dial and index are representative'elements of any other device which may be 10- cated in the concave upper'part of the top and which may be operated by the devices described.

I claim I I 1. In combination the casing, the operating slide' extending through the same, the pivfioted catch connected with the said slide, the

delivery slide arranged in the path of the api'vot'e'd catch to be engaged thereby, the lspri'ng for retracting the delivery slide, the reservoir arranged in the path of the dellvzery slide, and the means for releasing the ,pivoted catch from delivei'y slide atthe forward partof the stroke of said slide, the said casing having an opening for the delivery of the articles, substantially as described.

2. In combinatiomthecasing having adelivery opening, the operatingslide, projecting through the casing and having'a depending garm at its inner end, the pivoted catch cartried by said arm, the delivery slide" in the path of the pivoted catch, the reservoir in the path of the delivery'slide, the means for releasing the catch from the delivery slide, and the retracting spring for the delivery slide, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the casing havingthe delivery opening, the operating slide projecting through said casing, the pivoted catch connected with said slide, the delivery slide arranged in the path of the catch, the deflector for depressing the catch to engage the slide and the retracting spring for the said slide, substantially as described.

, 4. In combination, the casing havingthe idelivery opening, the delivery slide and its retra'cting spring, the operating slide mov- Eable through the casing, and held normally loutward the detachable connection between the two slides normally disengaged and ar ranged to connect them when the operating slide is pushed in the spring for forcing the of the delivery slide spring and the means for releasing the detachable connection when the delivery slide reaches its forward position, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the casing having the delivery opening, the delivery slide, held normally backward the operating slide movable through the casing, and pressed normally forward the detachable connection between the slides normally disengaged and arranged to connect the two slides when the operating slide is moved fully inward, the catch for obstructing the movement of the operating slide said slide being adapted to receive a coin on the outside of the machine and to carry the same inside the machine to control the operation of said catch, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the casing having the delivery opening, the delivery slide, held normally backward the operating slide movable through the casing, and pressed normally forward the detachable connection between the two slides normally disengaged and arranged to connect them when the operating slide is moved fully inward and the means for obstructing the inward movement of the operating slide, said means being arranged to be operated by the introduction of a coin to permit the full movement of said slide, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the casing the movable device the pin wheel on the shaft of said device, the spring trigger for operating the pin wheel, the operating slide extending through the casing, the dog thereon for pressing back the trigger and the guide for said trigger, arranged to automatically release the trigger from the dog as the movement of the operat- 9. In combination, the casing, the movable device, the trigger for operating the said de vice, the slide 10, carrying a dog to engage the trigger and compress the same the means for lifting and releasing the trigger from the dog when the slide approaches its limit of inward movement and the means for obstructing the inward movement of the slide artachable connection between the slides, the

movable device carried by the casing and the trigger for operating the same, said trigger being arranged to be operated by the operating slide when it is pushed fully inward,substantially as described.

11. In combination, the casing, the operating coin slide, the catch therefor arranged to be controlled by the passage of a coin, the delivery slide, the detachable connection between the said slides, the means for operating the same, the movable device, the spring trigger for operating the same arranged to be operated by the coin slide, and the means for releasing the trigger as the coin slide reaches the rear limit of its movement, substantially as described.

12. In combination, the casing having the slide in its, body portion, the dial and index, the operating connections therefor comprising the shaft the pin Wheel the spring trigger arranged to be operated by the slide and the guide plate for guiding said trigger into and out of line with the pin wheel, the hinged cover for the casing, the said index and 1ts operating connections all being carried by the cover and adapted to be moved into line with the slide by closing the said cover substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN SCHOFIELD. Witnesses:

J. F. NOBLE, G. W. GooDsELL. 

